Peter Simple

A smart two volume first illustrated edition set of this naval novel from Frederick Marryat, limited to seven hundred and fifty copies. Complete in two volumes. First illustrated edition, limited to seven hundred and fifty copies for England and America. With a portrait frontispiece of the author and twenty-one collotype plates. Collated complete. An 1834 novel originally published in serialized form in the The Metropolitan Magazine in 1832-33, during Marryat's editorship. This novel follows the naval career of a young gentleman introduced as 'the fool of the family' during the period of British mastery of the seas in the early nineteenth century. Written by Captain Frederick Marryat, a Royal Navy officer and novelist, noted today as an early pioneer of nautical fiction. Illustrated by Robert William Buss, a Victorian artist, etcher and illustrator. With a biographical essay by Michael Sadleir, a British publisher, novelist, book collector, and bibliographer. In the original full cloth binding. Externally, very smart with minor rubbing to the extremities. Original unclipped dust wrappers are sound with light wear and chipping to the extremities. Light sunning to the spine and panel edges with the odd small mark. Small closed tears to the panel edges, particularly the top edge of the panels. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are very bright and clean throughout. Much of the text block remains unopened. Bookseller's label to the rear pastedown. Near Fine.…